18 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comNEWS
// MAY 2018 #Latin America
New Super Tucanos for Chile
Above: EMB-314 PT-ZZB (c/n 31400236), one of the six from the latest Chilean order. Roberto Antenore via Juan Carlos Cicalesi
THE FUERZA Aérea de
Chile (FACh, Chilean Air
Force) has received the
first two of an additional six
EMB-314 Super Tucanos
from Embraer Defense &
Security. Although their
acquisition has not been
formally announced, the pair
was seen at the company’sSão José dos Campos
facility in São Paulo state,
on March 6 and again
during a technical stopover
two days later at Foz do
Iguaçu International Airport
in Brazil’s Paraná state.
The duo – FACh 463
and FACh 464 – were
accompanied by KC-130RFACh 990. After the stopover
in Paraná, the aircraft
continued to Los Cóndores
air base in Iquique, home
of Grupo de Aviación No
1 (1st Aviation Group).
Embraer announced three
firm orders for 18 Super
Tucanos in the third quarter
of last year; Afghanistanand the Philippines were
confirmed as customers
for six aircraft each, but
the client for the remaining
six was not disclosed.
The FACh took on 12
similar EMB-314s in 2009-
10, and the remaining four
from the latest order will
be delivered this year.Brazil
plans
C-23B buy
THE EXÉRCITO Brasileiro
(EB, Brazilian Army) is
moving ahead with plans
to buy four C-23B+
aircraft from the US via
the Excess Defense
Articles (EDA) programme,
United States Army
Aviation and Missile
Command (AMCOM)
announced on March 13.
The Sherpas would
be transferred from
storage at the Aircraft
Maintenance and
Regeneration Group
(AMARG) at Davis-
Monthan Air Force
Base, Arizona, and
would serve primarily
in the Amazon region.
An order signed on
August 4 last year
approved a project to
incorporate fixed-wing
aircraft into the EB. At
the time it was expected
that all four airlifters
would be integrated into
Brazilian service by 2021.
A source-sought
solicitation for the
proposed sale indicates
the Sherpas would be
returned to an airworthy
condition, with a
cockpit upgrade, before
delivery. Improvements
would include cockpit
lighting compatible with
night-vision goggles
(NVGs), autopilot, terrain
avoidance warning
system/ground proximity
warning system (TAWS/
GPWS), traffic collision
avoidance system
(TCAS), civil transponder
and weather radar.
The C-23s – 93-
(SH3405/AK05), 93-
(SH3418/AK18), 93 -
(SH3419/AK19) and
94-0310 (SH3424/
AK24) – have been in
storage for the past
three to four years.
As well as preparing and
delivering the aircraft,
the selected contractor
would provide training for
air and ground crew prior
to handover. Five years
of in-country support has
also been requested.
The Sherpas’ operating
unit will be the 4°
Batalhão de Aviação
do Exército (4th Army
Aviation Battalion) at
Manaus. The EB doesn’t
currently include fixed-
wing types, but operates
helicopters from bases
at Manaus and Taubaté.THE SUPERINTENDENCIA
de Aviación Federal
(Federal Aviation
Superintendence) of the
Policía Federal Argentina(PFA, Argentine Federal
Police) has received a new
Airbus Helicopters H
(formerly EC155B1). Public
Safety Emergency DecreeNo 228, dated January 21,
increased the Ministry of
Security’s budget, providing
funds to buy the new twin-
engine rotorcraft. It willbe used for presidential
transport, complementing
or replacing two Sikorsky
S-76Bs currently in service.
Juan Carlos CicalesiJorge BaezThree Pampa IIIs for Argentine Air Force
THE ARGENTINE
government has approved
a contract signed by the
Fábrica Argentina de Aviones
(FAdeA) and the Fuerza Aérea
Argentina (FAA, Argentine
Air Force) to provide
the air arm with another
three IA-63 Pampa IIIs.
The deal was signed off
by administrative decision
185/2018, but its value
remains unknown. The
contract likely covers
serials E-824 to E-826.
As well as the three IA-63s,
the FAdeA will deliver a
ground training system
and two mission planning
stations. The Pampa IIIs
will join the VI Brigada Aérea
(6th Air Brigade) at Tandil
in the province of Buenos
Aires. Juan Carlos Cicalesi FAdeANew H155 for Argentine
Federal Police